Holding Hands
by F91
Summary: A few Vivio/Lutecia stories.
1. Together

Vivio smiled happily as she stared up at Carnegie's night sky, her legs dangling gently over the edge of the guest house her friends and family were currently relaxing in. It had been a long, yet super fun day of playing and training and spending time with her loved ones.

"Vivio, there you are!"

"Ah, Cia!" Vivio greeted her host. "I was just looking up at the stars."

"Oh? Mind if I join you?" The older girl asked.

"Of course!" Vivio happily patted the spot next to her and Lutecia sat down. They revelled in the moment before Lutecia spoke up.

"So, are you enjoying things so far?" She asked.

"It's great!" Vivio beamed. "It so much fun being here with everyone! Not to mention the food, rooms, training ground and hot springs are all top notch!"

"Fu fu fu." Lutecia puffed her chest out proudly. "I worked hard making sure everything was absolutely perfect for you!" Yes, as soon as Lutecia heard that Vivio would be visiting for training, she worked tirelessly to ensure it was all just right.

"Hehehe!"

Lutecia blinked as Vivio giggled. "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking about how much you've changed." Vivio said. "Back then you were more quiet and reserved, but now you're bursting with energy!"

"I-I guess." Lutecia flushed. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Nope!" Vivio smiled broadly. "I really like this Cia!"

Lutecia's heart skipped a beat as she laughed nervously. "T-Thanks. Well, normally I wouldn't have thought I'd turn out like this. Even though I have mom and Garyuu and the others, it was still kind of lonely here… But every so often I would get video calls from a certain girl. We'd end up chatting for hours about the past and the present, and her cheerful disposition made it impossible for me not to brighten up as well. With her I could smile and laugh so much, and eventually I could do it around others as well. I'm really grateful to this girl." The summoner gave the blond a meaningful look.

Vivio chuckled in an embarrassed manner, red adorning her cheeks. "Aw, I didn't do that much!"

"You did a lot." Lutecia whispered, her hand lightly gripping Vivio's. "More than you'll ever know."

Vivio smiled and rotated her hand so she could return Lutecia's grasp. Lutecia figured the younger girl interpreted the gesture as something innocent and didn't pick up on the deeper meaning behind it, but Lutecia was ok with that.

"But I guess mom was right." She muttered. "Falling in love really does change a person."

"Hm? Did you say something, Cia?"

"No," Lutecia shook her head with a smile. "It's nothing."

* * *

Just to set the record straight, I didn't write this to appease a certain anonymous reviewer, nor did I write this in some attempt to become popular. I wrote it because RadiantBeam was really feeling down regarding the incident with the aforementioned reviewer, and since I love her as much as I do, I wanted to cheer her up. This fic is dedicated to her.

To briefly address said issue: I know my Vivio/Yuuno stuff has some problems, but that doesn't mean you can go on a tirade like that. Give criticism in a polite way rather than just "You suck, do this instead." Sure, my series may not have the following that RB's series does, and I might be alone on my ship, but such a thing is irrelevant. This isn't a contest, you know. Also, pairings don't make a fic better. It may make more people like it, sure, but it doesn't necessarily make it better.

Harsh words won't make me change my ways. I've been hated by this fandom for almost two years now, so I'm used to it. It'll take more than that to affect me ;)


	2. With You

Lutecia stretched dramatically as she disembarked from the dimensional transport, exiting the gate and finding herself at the dock at TSAB HQ. It had been many years since she last step foot in Mid Childan territory and she was looking forward to seeing how it differed from what she remembered.

Her magic remained sealed and her summons stayed home, but Lutecia understood why it had to be that way. She had done some bad things in the past, so it was only natural she be punished for it. Her good behaviour had not gone unnoticed though, which is why the Bureau allowed her to visit the capital world. It was only for a day, but it was better than nothing.

Lutecia could live with that, but there was one part of the arrangement she could do without. She glanced over her shoulder at a stern faced uniform clad man. His name was Lieutenant Lee and he had been assigned as her supervisor. He made no effort to interact with the girl, never uttering a word or even cracking a smile. He reminded Lutecia of those palace guards she had read about in a book on Earth Vivio had sent her. All he lacked was one of those tall fuzzy hats.

Lutecia sighed, wondering how she was supposed to enjoy herself with this glacier of a man around when she suddenly found herself attacked from the front.

"Cia!" The little assailant cried. Lutecia quickly recognised the small blond that was currently hugging her.

"Vivio!" She squeaked, her face tinged pink as she returned in the embrace. "What are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet up later."

"I wanted to surprise you by meeting you here!" Vivio grinned.

"Well, it worked." Lutecia smiled. "Thanks for coming."

"We're going to have so much fun today!" Vivio cheered, releasing the older girl.

"I hope so." Lutecia shot a glance at the Lieutenant. "Something tells me he's going to be a real kill joy…"

"Don't worry about that!" Vivio smiled. "I've got it all taken care of! He should be here soon. I just went ahead while he used the bathroom."

"Sorry I took so long!" Yuuno panted as he ran up to them. "There was a bit of a line."

"Don't worry, Yuuno-kun!" Vivio said. "You're just in time!"

Lutecia knew the head librarian, having spoken to him several times when Vivio brought him into their video calls. Lutecia greatly admired his profession and wealth of knowledge, never ceasing to be amazed at how much he knew. It was partially thanks to him that her personal library had as much as it did.

"Yuuno-sensei." Lutecia dipped her head slightly in greeting. "It's nice to finally meet you in person."

"Likewise, Lutecia." Yuuno smiled back.

"So…" Lutecia turned a questioning look to Vivio. "Why is he…?"

"You'll see." Vivio assured her. Yuuno turned toward Lee and withdrew some papers from his pocket, handing them to the other man.

"Lieutenant," Yuuno started. "As you can see, you are relieved of your duty. Supervision duties for today have now been assigned to me."

Lee ran his eyes down the paper, confirming that the proper signatures where in the right places before he neatly folded and put the papers in his own pocket. He muttered a "very well" before taking his leave.

"So that's how it is." Yuuno smiled. "I'll be escorting you two for the day."

"Really?" Lutecia blinked. "Can you do that?"

"Well, I am a member of the Bureau." Yuuno answered. "I may only be a civilian, but I'm still a capable mage. I just had to call in a few favours and here I am."

"Yuuno-kun isn't that strict, so we can have lots of fun!" Vivio beamed.

"But is it really ok?" Lutecia asked again. "Don't you have work or something?"

"It's no problem, I took the day off." Yuuno waved it away. "It was a special request from Vivio, so how could I say no?"

"Nanoha-mama says I have Yuuno-kun wrapped around my finger." Vivio giggled.

"… I wish I could deny that more strongly." Yuuno chuckled. "Well, I wanted the chance to meet you anyways, Lutecia."

"Well, ok then." Lutecia beamed. "Thanks a lot, Yuuno-sensei! So, where should we go first?"

"Oh Cia, you don't have to be so reserved." Vivio giggled again. "Of course we'll go to the one place you've always wanted to see first!"

X-X-X

"… They sure weren't kidding when they called this place the Infinity Library." Lutecia gawked up at the tall spiral of books. "And I thought my collection was impressive, but this…"

"I know, right?" Vivio concurred. "Even I'm still surprised so many books could exist."

"I have no idea where to start…" Lutecia chuckled awkwardly.

"Well if there's anything you're interested in, just ask Vivio." Yuuno put in. "I taught her some search magic, so she'll be able to find what you're looking for."

"Really?" Lutecia looked at her young friend.

"That's right!" Vivio put her hands on her hips and angled her head upwards proudly. "I'll show you!"

Lutecia allowed herself to be taken by the hand and led into the tower of books.

"Behave you two." Yuuno called after them, knowing they would even if he didn't tell them to. He made sure they were still within visual range before he opened up a display and made a call, remembering he had some business to discuss with Fate.

"So, can you think of a topic you want to look up?" Vivio asked, eagerly awaiting a chance to show off a skill not related to Strike Arts.

"Hm…" Lutecia put a finger to her chin and pondered. She had plenty of general history texts back at her home, so she had substantial knowledge in that area already. Then she realised there was something quite relevant to her own life she really didn't know much about. "How about something on summoning and summoned beasts?"

"Coming right up!" Vivio held her hands out and closed her eyes as a magic circle appeared at her feet. Her clothing fluttered as she hovered a few moments and a faint glow spread across the room. Moments later several books appeared around her.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Lutecia clapped as Vivio deactivated her magic. "I wish I could do that too!"

"I'm sure Yuuno-kun would be happy to teach you if you asked him." Vivio suggested.

"Well…" Lutecia paused a moment before continuing. "I'd like it more if you taught me how to do it, Vivio…"

"Really?" Vivio shone at the idea. "Ok! When your magic gets unsealed and you're allowed to come here whenever you want, I promise I'll teach you how to search for books!"

"It's a promise." Lutecia smiled, sticking out her little finger. Vivio returned the gesture and sealed the pinkie swear.

"Now, what book do you want to look at?" Vivio asked. Lutecia studied the books that floated in front of her and one in particular caught her eye. It was a large tome titled 'The Origin of Summoned Beasts: Nature or Science?'

"This looks interesting…" Lutecia took the book, flipped to the first pages and read aloud. "The evolutionary timeline of the habitable worlds in our universe are primarily identical. Proof of this is how humans from each world are no different biologically, and many wild life creatures are also the same. Why is it then that unique creatures such as dragons exist only on select worlds, and why do these mighty beasts allow themselves to be controlled by humans?"

"Sounds like this will be good!" Vivio said, hopping up on a nearby ledge and patting the place beside her. "Let's read it together!"

"Ok then." Lutecia also hopped up on the ledge, keeping a certain amount of space between them. Vivio was apparently displeased by this because she slid right up next to the older girl.

"It's no good if you sit so far away!" Vivio chided.

"I guess you're right." Lutecia flushed a little, but was happy for the contact just the same. The open book was spread across their laps and they began reading.

X-X-X

When Yuuno approached the girls a while later, he felt guilty for having to intrude. The young ladies were completely immersed in what they were reading so they didn't even register his approach. They wore fascinated expressions, with their eyes sparkling with intellectual intrigue and their mouths hanging slightly open as they went over the pages.

"Ahem." He tried to get their attention, but failed to do so. "Vivio, Lutecia." Another failure. Amused to find himself on the opposite side of this situation, Yuuno did what most people had to do to him and waved his hand directly in front of their eyes.

"Yuuno-kun!" Vivio and Lutecia jumped slightly. "Don't startle us like that!"

"Sorry," He chuckled. "But you two were off in your own little world. What have you been reading?"

"It's a book about summons." Lutecia explained. "The author explains his theory that summoned beasts are actually products of science. Ancient races created these species, using both genetic engineering and techno-organic methods. They escaped into the wilderness after the fall of the civilizations that created them, yet they are still programmed to obey humans so that's why summoners can control them."

"Ah yes, the work by Draco." Yuuno nodded sagely. "I recall reading that. Rather fascinating."

"Oh yes!" Lutecia nodded happily. "I've always wondered why my insects appeared to be mechanical, but this has cleared up several things so far! I can't wait to tell Caro about it!"

"I'm sure she'll be blown away!" Vivio smiled. "So Yuuno-kun, what's up?"

"I just came to see if you girls wanted something to eat." He answered. "It's already lunch time."

"What?" Vivio yelped. "It's lunch time already? That means we've already used up half the day!"

"Wow, we sure did get sucked into this book, didn't we?" Lutecia chuckled awkwardly.

"Then there's no time to lose!" Vivio stood up, determined. "After lunch let's go to the city! There's still so much I want to show you!"

"That's fine, but…" Lutecia glanced down at the book in her lap, and then up at her guardian. "Could… Could I check this book out, please? I really want to read the rest…"

"I'm sorry," Yuuno smiled apologetically. "But that's the only copy that exists, so I can't let it leave the library."

"Oh… I understand…" Lutecia looked down sadly.

"Aw, Yuuno-kun couldn't you make an exception this one time?" Vivio pleaded.

"I'm sorry Vivio, but…"

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease?" Vivio asked, using the dreaded puppy dog eyes she knew Yuuno couldn't resist. It made her look selfish and childish, but if it made Lutecia happy Vivio was willing to stoop to that level.

"Arg…" Yuuno visibly struggled against her gaze but eventually caved like he always did. Wrapped around her finger was right. "… Lutecia, I can trust you to take very good care of that book and return it in the same condition it's in now, right?"

"Of course!" Lutecia's eyes sparkled as she nodded. "I promise not to let anything happen to it!"

"Ok then." Yuuno smiled. "We'll leave it in my office for now and come pick it up when its time to go. After that we'll go grab lunch."

"Ok!" Both girls chimed in.

X-X-X

"Yuuno-sensei is really nice, isn't he?" Lutecia noted as she and Vivio sat in the cafeteria. The man in question had gone to wait in line for food.

"Yup!" Vivio grinned. "Of course he will put his foot down if I request something really unreasonable. He's kind of like Fate-mama in that way."

"Yuuno-sensei has known your mamas since they were kids, right?" Lutecia asked. "Is he, you know, in a relationship with either of them?"

"... I don't know..." Vivio pouted. "He's really close with Nanoha-mama, but it's possible my mamas are dating each other… I can't say for sure because they won't give me a straight answer! I think they're having fun being ambiguous about it…"

"Oh…" Lutecia blinked. "Well… If you had a choice, which would you go for? Nanoha-san and Fate-san together, or Nanoha-san and Yuuno-sensei together?"

"Actually, I think Yuuno-kun and Fate-mama would make the greatest couple! They really seem to click together the best!"

"So you're going with the third option?" Lutecia let a surprised laugh slip.

"Well, it's not like all three of them could be together." Vivio rolled her eyes. "That would be just silly."

"But imagine if they were."

"I don't wanna... the house would get loud at night." Both girls broke into a fit of giggles before Vivio continued. "Well at any rate I would be really happy if Yuuno-kun became my papa!"

"Hm…" Lutecia suddenly remembered something. "Wait, didn't you tell me Yuuno-sensei is actually a ferret?"

"No no Cia, that's not it!" Vivio shook her head. "Yuuno-kun is a human like us, but he can turn into a ferret like how I can turn into Adult Mode. He's not an animal, but a lot of people tend to make that mistake."

"So there's no problem then."

"Nope! If anyone has a problem with Yuuno-kun becoming my papa, then they're the absolute worst!"

"Yeah, I agree." Lutecia nodded.

"Well, I just wish Yuuno-kun and my mamas would hurry up and decide already." Vivio pouted again. "It's taking way too long!"

"Hey…" Lutecia gulped before asking a question she was almost afraid to hear the answer to. "On that subject, is there anyone you're interested in, in that way, Vivio?"

"Me?" Vivio hummed thoughtfully a moment. "Nope. I think I'm still too young to be considering stuff like that." She grinned while rubbing the back of her head.

"Is that so?" Lutecia muttered under her breath, both relieved and disappointed at the same time.

"Sorry for the wait!" Yuuno said when he returned with the food.

X-X-X

After eating their meal, the three made the trip down to Cranagan city. The weather was absolutely beautiful, with the sun shining and the few clouds white and friendly, so they decided to travel by foot. It was the first time Lutecia could remember seeing the city when it wasn't a battlefield and she was practically sucked into the sights.

They hit a shopping district, checking out some clothes, cute things, and training gear. Lutecia was glad to have the chance to shop in person, revelling in the joy not present in shopping online. She also found it hilarious to see Yuuno trying really hard not to look out of place in a female orientated shop.

"This is so much fun!" Lutecia beamed.

"Yeah!" Vivio grinned in agreement. "Let's check out this store next!"

"Hey, Vivio, not so fast or you'll get separated!" Yuuno warned.

"I'll be fine, Yuuno-kun!" She called back. "Hurry up!"

"That girl…" Yuuno huffed before smiling. "Let's go, Lute… cia?" He glanced around but could not see the purple haired girl anywhere. "Lutecia?"

"What's wrong, Yuuno-kun?" Vivio asked when she rejoined him. "Where's Cia?"

X-X-X

"Hey, this looks pretty cool." Lutecia said as she admired an object in one of the store windows. "What do you think, Vivi…?" When she turned around she was greeted with the sight of a wave of strangers rushing past her. "Vivio?" Lutecia called, making her way into the sea to find her friend. Despite looking around frantically, there was no sign of the younger girl or the older male. "Yuuno-sen…!" She was cut off when some one bumped into her from behind.

"I'm sorry!" Lutecia tried to apologise, but when she turned around she just saw a blur of people. Some one bumped her from behind again, and she turned to the same result. The sound of shoes connecting with the concrete, and the mixed mutters of the pedestrians assailed her ears and the added noise of vehicle traffic made it almost unbearable. Her breathing became irregular as she spun around in panic, hoping to see any sort of familiar and friendly face.

All she succeeded in doing was drawing whispers.

"Hey, what's up with her?"

"Mommy, that girl is acting funny!"

"Shhh, don't look!"

"Is something wrong with her?"

"Ah leave her alone, she's probably just some weirdo."

"Maybe she's high?"

"Should we call the cops?"

"What a freak!"

Lutecia covered her ears to block out the scorn, and shrunk into the fetal position in a futile attempt to avoid the piercing stares of others. She couldn't withstand all the stimuli bearing down on her like that. Everyone was judging her, looking down on her like some sort of deviant. She longed for the quiet of her home, where no people existed other than her loved ones.

"Please, help me…" Lutecia sobbed as tears leaked from her shut eyes.

"Cia!" Vivio called as she burst through the crowd. "There you are!"

"Vivio!" Lutecia jumped up and hugged the other girl tightly without thinking. Vivio blinked before settling in and began patting Lutecia's hair.

"It's ok Cia." She whispered. "I'm right here."

"We got separated and I didn't know what to do and then all these people were there and I was alone and…"

"I understand, Cia." Vivio said softly, wiping the other girl's tears away. "It's ok now, you're not alone anymore."

"Y-You're right." Lutecia pulled away once she composed herself. "I'm ok now."

"Let's go back to where Yuuno-kun is." Vivio firmly took hold of Lutecia's hand. "He's worried sick."

"All right." Lutecia let herself be taken into the crowd by the blond, but now all the indistinguishable faces were the last things on her mind. The secure feeling of their linked hands was all Lutecia could think about. Everything else was irrelevant.

"Yuuno-kun, I found her!" Vivio announced when they met up with Yuuno at an open area."

"Thank goodness!" Yuuno sighed in relief. "I was so worried something had happened to you… I'm sorry Lutecia, it's my responsibility to keep an eye on you, but…"

"Please don't blame yourself, Yuuno-sensei." Lutecia smiled reassuringly. "It's not your fault."

"Let's not dwell on it, ok?" Vivio suggested. "Cia is here now so all is well! But what do you want to do now, Cia? Should we go some where with less people or…?"

"Let's continue on." Lutecia said, giving the younger girl's hand a squeeze. "I'm fine so long as I'm with you."

X-X-X

The day of fun and games unfortunately had to come to an end and they made their way back to TSAB HQ. They stopped by the Library to pick up the book and they were now waiting at the gate for Lutecia's scheduled transport to arrive.

The summoner smiled sadly as it sunk in she was going home already when she felt a weight on her shoulder. She looked over and flushed at seeing her young friend resting her head there after falling sleep.

"I guess it's no surprise she's exhausted." Yuuno chuckled softly. "She was so excited when she heard you were being allowed to come visit, it was as if Rossa had fed her too many cakes again."

"Really?" Lutecia blinked, inwardly happy Vivio had reacted as such. A silence fell after that, and after figuring the moment was as good as any, Lutecia swallowed hard before speaking. "Um, Yuuno-sensei, I was wondering how Vivio… gets along with everyone."

"Hm?" Yuuno tilted his head at the odd question. "She gets along great with everyone. That much should be obvious."

"Um… well, I mean… is there some one she gets along with a lot more than others? You know, some one really special…"

"Ah, I see what you're getting at." Yuuno mused. "Well, Hayate's started a betting pool on if Vivio will get together with Einhart, or if Ixpellia will wake up and win her over first."

"O-Oh." Lutecia looked sullen. "Is that so…"

Yuuno studied the adolescent before smiling softly. "... But I think I'll put my money on a third option." He followed that comment with a meaningful look.

"Wait, no, that's not what I… uh…" Lutcia turned her red face away. "It's not like…" She cut herself off with a yawn and felt her eyelids start to droop. "It's…"

"The transport is here." Those were the next words that registered in Lutecia's mind. Vivio had just woken up as well and they both turned to the gate to see Lieutenant Lee standing there patiently.

"I guess it's time to go…" Lutecia muttered as she got up. She picked up the items she had obtained that day and turned to the blonds. "I really had a lot of fun today! Thanks for showing me around!"

"Anytime, Cia!" Vivio smiled. "Next time I hope you can visit longer!"

"Me too. Thank you for coming as well, Yuuno-sensei."

"No problem." Yuuno said. "Just remember to take care of that book."

"I will!"

"Bye bye Cia!" Vivio waved as Lutecia made to depart. "I'll come visit you at your house sometime soon!"

"I'll be waiting!" Lutecia called back. "You should come visit too, Yuuno-sensei!"

"I'll do that!" Yuuno waved. "Bye for now!"

Lutecia sighed contently as she sat in her assigned seat. It had been quite the day, but it was a good one that would be a memory to hold dear. The transport began moving and Lutecia opened up the book in preparation for the long flight. However when she did she found something placed inside of it. Curiously, Lutecia picked it up and looked at it.

It was a photo of Vivio and Lutecia sleeping serenely; Vivio's head on Lutecia's shoulder and Lutecia's head on Vivio's.

Lutecia was flabbergasted. "When did he…?" She stared at the image for a few moments and her lips eventually formed a smile.

A memory to hold dear for sure.

* * *

**Extra: Yuuno's Visit**

"Thank you so much for bringing Vivio out here to visit, professor." Megane said as she poured Yuuno some tea.

"Oh it's my pleasure." Yuuno accepted the drink.

"Lutecia is always the happiest whenever Vivio is over." Megane added, taking the seat next to him on the couch. "She always goes up to the roof and laughs loudly when she's coming."

"Mom…" Lutecia groaned. "Don't tell them that…" Besides her, Vivio giggled.

"I'd also like to thank you for taking care of Lutecia that one time she went back to Mid." Megane continued. "She couldn't stop talking about how great you were."

"Mom…"

"Oh I didn't do anything special." Yuuno waved it away. "Your daughter is a very well behaved young lady so I didn't have to worry about her causing any trouble." He finished by putting his cup to his lips.

"Oh my, professor, you're so modest. Not only are you intelligent, successful, kind, and handsome, but you're great with children as well." Megane paused to seemingly contemplate something before scooting closer to him. "… How do you feel about older women?"

"MOM!" Lutecia cried as Yuuno spat his tea across the room.

* * *

I'm rather surprised by how long this ended up being.

The theory put forth in that book is actually my own personal theory. In StrikerS, Voltaire and Hakutenou clearly make mechanical sounds when they move. So I thought "Hey, maybe summons are a kind of Lost Logia too!"

Anyone familiar with Georg Simmel will know about the idea of adopting a blase attitude. In order to survive in a metropolis, one must learn to shut out extraneous environmental factors or else they would be unable to function. My idea here is that Lutecia doesn't have that, seeing as how she's been in Jail's hands, travelling alone with Zest and Agito, and living on an uninhabited planet with only her mother for most of her life. Put her alone in a crowd with people not viewing her positively, I figure she might break down like that because it's something she's not used to and thus doesn't know how to handle. And then it's Vivio to the rescue!

Special thanks to Nanya for providing the basis for some of the dialouge.

And to the people who don't like what I do, I'll give you a helpful hint: being a jerk to me won't help and will only make me want to write more of the same. What method should you use then? If you so desire, go back and read my fics that have NanoFate in them (many of them do) and leave a review saying what you enjoyed about it. If I see a bunch of comments like "Hey, I really like the way you have Nanoha and Fate interact with each other here" then I'm more likely to think "Hm, perhaps I'll write them like that again! And if they act like that, then maybe this will happen and..." and thus inspiration strikes me.

Being nice really goes a long way. RadiantBeam has always been nice to me and voila: I desired to write some ViCia for her and here we are!


	3. From Now On

"Really? Corona did?" Lutecia asked the heterochromatic teen.

"Yup! That makes her the first one of us to hook up with some one." Vivio nodded cheerfully. "Her boyfriend's a nice guy and we all like him. You know what was interesting? His family moved here from Earth, the same unadministered world my mama is from. He lived in a different part of the planet, though. We got to try some maple syrup from his country. It was really good!"

"Hmmm," Lutecia mused as she bit into one of the cookies Vivio had brought. The pair was currently chatting in the living room of Lutecia's house, a common situation as Vivio was a constant visitor to Lutecia's planet. Even though the summoner was supposed to be a criminal serving her time, it hardly ever felt that way. She was with her mother, her friends could visit, and eventually she was allowed short, supervised visits to other worlds.

While she was happy with her situation for the most part, she hated how she felt like such an outsider. Spending most of her life on this planet away from everyone forced her to only hear about events through word of mouth. Learning of all the grand adventures her loved ones had experienced was always interesting, but Lutecia still wished she was there to live the events with them.

"I can hardly believe we'll be high school students soon." Vivio said wistfully. "Time sure flies doesn't it?"

Lutecia studied the recent middle school graduate for a moment. It was if not that long ago she was that small girl that brought her friends over for a training camp. She had gotten taller, her figure was filling out, her chest was of moderate size, and she had finally moved up to wearing her hair in a side tail like her mother. Lutecia had to admit she was greatly intrigued by Vivio's development. The summoner knew the fighter since she was small, and also knew what she would look like as an adult thanks to her transformed state. As such, it was this unknown in between period that Lutecia enjoyed the most. She would always look forward to seeing how the object of her affection had developed since their last meeting.

Lutecia felt a bit guilty for her attraction to the younger girl, but if anything that made things slightly more exciting. Of course she would never act on her attraction without consent, but she still looked forward to when they would go to the hot springs together. The purple haired girl wondered if such adult thoughts were a result of her own growing up. She had developed nicely herself, much to Caro's chagrin, and had been told many times she was quite the bombshell. Others often remarked about her similarities to her mother, and Lutecia took those comments with great pride. Her mother was a wonderful and beautiful person and to be like her was a dream come true.

Pulling her mind out of the gutter and back to the topic at hand, Lutecia nodded.

"It sure does. I can hardly believe that in another year I'll have my hearing where they'll decide if my exile will end or not."

"Oh yeah!" Vivio brightened. "That's right! That's great! Soon you'll be able to come back to Mid and we can do so much together without having to deal with supervisors or anything else!"

"R-Really?" Lutecia smiled sadly. "To be honest I'm actually pretty anxious… I mean, while I've been here you and every one else have done so many things and have gotten so far in life. I'll have to get established in a new setting, so I'm afraid you'll all leave me behind…"

"We would never do that!" Vivio stated resolutely, surprising Lutecia by firmly taking hold of her hand. "If you fall behind, we'll be sure to wait for you! And I for one would go to you and help you every step of the way!"

"R-Really?" Lutecia could only think to stutter that before Vivio's boldness.

"That's right!" Vivio nodded. "You're an important person to me, Cia. I've always felt this special bond with you. I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's because of what we've been through. Both of us went through so much during the JS incident. We were both manipulated by the Doctor, and had our mothers used against us in the processes. There's always been that connection, and I think that's why when I'm with you something just clicks, you know? You're a great person, Lutecia. You're so smart, pretty, fun, you were able renovate your place for training, you know a lot about history, you can make devices on your own... You're just so amazing Cia, and I…"

"V-Vivio?" Lutecia gasped when the other girl looked away and her ears turned red. Was such a reaction indicative of what Lutecia hoped it was, or was it just wishful thinking on her part?

"Ah, sorry, I went off topic." Vivio turned back, scratching her cheek and wearing a bashful smile. "What I meant to say is that I would never leave you behind, so don't worry!"

"T-Thanks, I'm happy to hear that." Lutecia blinked. They fell into a bit of an awkward silence afterwards, so the older girl tried to start up a new line of conversation. "S-So the wedding is coming up soon, right?"

"Huh? Oh!" Vivio's eyes widened in realization. "Yeah, the wedding!"

"You really called that one, didn't you Vivio?"

"Hehe, what did I tell you?" Vivio grinned. "Yuuno-kun and Fate-mama made the best couple! I'm so looking forward to their wedding!"

"What does Nanoha-san think of it, though?" Lutecia inquired.

"She's all for it, of course." Vivio answered. "Apparently she's the one who convinced Fate-mama to propose. Nanoha-mama says she never had romantic feelings for anyone. I guess you could say she's asexual like that."

"Well it's good to hear it all turned out nicely."

"Now the incessant questions will stop." Vivio laughed.

"So when is the wedding exactly?"

"Oh, it's in a few weeks, actually."

"Already?" Lutecia frowned slightly. "… I didn't get an invitation… Well, I guess that can't be helped." She tried to smile. "I'm just a mild acquaintance after all, so there's no reason to invite me…"

"Don't think that Cia!" Vivio exclaimed. "The truth is… I asked them not to send you one."

"Huh? But why?"

"Because…" Vivio's face flushed again. "I wanted to invite you myself… as my date…"

"Your date?!" Lutecia let her jaw drop in shock. Did Vivio just ask her out? "Me? But what about Einhart-san or Ix-san?"

"They're my good friends and I care for them dearly, but I told you, didn't I?" Vivio whispered. "Things just click when I'm with you, and I'm the happiest when I'm with you. I'm old enough to know for certain what this feeling is, so I wanted you to know… I didn't want to dance around it for a long time like Yuuno-kun and my mamas did, so I'm telling you now that I love you Cia and I want to take you to the wedding as my girlfriend!"

Lutecia just sat there, overwhelmed by the confession she had just received. An overload of happiness rendered her inoperable as she absorbed the fact that the young girl she had romantic inclinations towards reciprocated her feelings.

Vivio was not a mind reader however, and the blonde could only see the expression of shock on the other girl's face. When Lutecia remained that way for several moments, Vivio felt a sense of dread in her gut.

"I-I'm sorry for springing this on you so suddenly!" Vivio's voice was quavering. "I-I understand if you don't feel that way about me, so it's ok if you decline. I just… I'm sorry." Vivio got to her feet, her hand sliding out of Lutecia's. She turned to go, tears burning her mismatched eyes at her perceived rejection.

The summoner's mind became slightly clearer at hearing her words, but not enough to formulate her own. Instead her body reacted, jumping up and firmly grabbing the other girl's hand to prevent her from leaving. Vivio turned reflexively before she was pulled into the older girl who pressed their lips together.

Slightly surprised by her own behaviour, Lutecia settled down, figuring it was best to let her actions speak for themselves.

Vivio was stunned and just looked wide eyed at Lutecia's closed eyelids before closing her own. The tears that had welled up fell, but they were now streaks of joy rather than heartbreak. She gently squeezed Lutecia's hand and returned the kiss.

They soon parted for breath and just looked into each others eyes as they caught it.

"… So I'll take that as a yes?" Vivio smiled wryly.

"Of course." Lutecia smiled back. "You never realised it but I've loved you pretty much since we first became friends."

"Is that true?" Vivio chuckled softly. "Sorry I didn't notice…"

"It's okay, you were young and didn't have an interest in this sort of thing."

"Well, now I do and I want to be with you from now on!" Vivio asserted.

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that." Lutecia couldn't contain her joy even if she tried. She never thought this day would ever happen, yet here it was. She suddenly remembered something and began to laugh.

"… What is it, Cia?" Vivio asked.

"The third option." She grinned. Vivio still looked confused. "Let's just say that Yuuno-sensei will get quite the financial reward as a wedding gift." Unable to resist the cuteness of Vivio's still lost expression, Lutecia gave her a quick peck on the lips. "You'll see."

When they showed up at the wedding, hand in hand, they were greeted with many congratulations, cat calls, and even a few grumbles as cash changed ownership. Yuuno shot Lutecia a knowing wink, and when the purple haired girl caught the bouquet, she had a feeling fate was on her side as well.

* * *

Well that's it folks, this fic is done. I'm actually rather amazed I got this far, considering I don't care for this pairing (or yuri in general for that matter). It started as something to cheer RB up, and further ideas popped into my head from there. When I get an idea I usually want to run with it, so here we are. Of course I've stuck in plenty of self indulgences along the way :P

Hm, this is my first multi-chapter shoujo-ai fic, isn't it? Well I hope you all enjoyed it! :)


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